A/N #1: 'Castle' is the property of ABC Studios Productions and Andrew W. Marlowe. No copyright infringement is intended. This story is an entry for the 2022 Castle Summer Ficathon.
A/N #2: Originally, I was going to add another chapter or two to my story, 'Breathe Again,' which was posted in May of 2020. But after a lot of thinking, I decided instead to write a sequel to that story. This is the first story I have ever written where Castle and Beckett get together pre-Always. This story is going to be 10 chapters and it will seriously change the dynamic of many post-Kill Shot stories. It will also be necessary to read 'Just Breathe' to understand where I'm going with this story. This story will start where 'Just Breathe' ends.
A/N #3: I'm also going to add a line that I used in the story 'Already Good Friends.' I love the movie 'Tootsie' and I thought the line about being really good friends before starting a sexual relationship was a good one.
A/N #4: This story will start out rated T, but it will change to an M-rating with Chapter 2.
Just Keep Breathing
Chapter 1
"Things aren't going to get weird, are they?" Kate wanted to know. "I mean, if we take whatever we have here to the next level. I don't want us to do this, and then we break up and things get weird and awkward around the precinct."
"Well," Castle reached for Kate's hand, "that's a chance we're going to have to take. We can continue to act the same way around each other at the Twelfth."
"We're going to have to do that anyway. People can't know about us, Castle. If Gates finds out, I'll get called out on an ethics violation. And you know what she'll do to you."
"Yeah, I'm sure she will dance a happy dance at the opportunity to banish me from the precinct. But what about the boys and Lanie? Or my mother and Alexis? We can't let any of them know?"
"We definitely can't tell the boys or Lanie. I'm not as sure about Martha and Alexis. Alexis is really close with Lanie, which could make things awkward for her. But you know how Ryan and Espo can get. Ryan blows things so out of proportion and Espo can't keep his mouth shut around Lanie."
"But they're not together anymore," Castle pointed out.
"They're still friends, and they still talk. I have another question."
"Which is?"
"We've had this friendship for four years. Are we going to abide by the three-date rule when it comes to moving forward?"
"If you're asking if we're going to jump into bed right now, no. Can I ask you something?"
"Yeah."
"Has there been anyone since . . . Dr. Motorcycle Boy. I'm sorry. Has there been anybody since Josh?"
"No. What about you? Has there been anyone since Gina?"
"No."
"I have scars, Castle."
"I know."
"No one has seen them, except for my doctors, since it happened."
"Josh never saw them?"
"No," she shook her head. "After I was released from the hospital, my dad took me straight to Lake Placid . . . to his cabin. I only saw Josh one time after that and that was when I ended things with him. I want to be with you," she smiled, "but I'm also really self-conscious. Which is funny, because I've never been one of those women who was concerned about how she looked."
"I'll tell you what. I will follow your lead. Whenever you decide. Okay?"
"Okay." She placed her wineglass on the table and stood up. "I should be going. Thanks for hearing me out, Castle."
"Always," he smiled, getting up and walking with her to the door. "Can we have dinner tomorrow night?"
"Yeah, that sounds nice," she smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow."
After seeing her out and closing the door, Castle stood with his back against the door for a moment, a huge smile on his face.
He was cleaning the kitchen when Martha entered the loft a short time later. "Hello, Mother," Castle greeted her. "How was class tonight?"
"Horrendous," Martha shuddered. "They were doing repairs in one of the other rooms. We had to shout to make ourselves heard. How was your evening?"
"Interesting."
"Hmmm, interesting can mean many different things," Martha came into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of wine. "Why don't we sit, and you can give me your definition of interesting."
"Very well," Castle poured himself a second glass of wine and went to sit beside his mother. "Beckett came by earlier."
"Really? How is that poor girl doing now that the whole sniper thing has been put to bed?"
"She's better. She's much better, as a matter of fact."
"In what way?"
"She heard me that day in the cemetery. When I told her that I loved her. She admitted that she heard me."
"Why on earth didn't she admit to that before?"
"She was scared, Mother. Plus, she was also still with another man. We're going to try to move things forward."
"Oh Richard, that is wonderful news!"
"There's just one thing. You can't let anyone know. At least not anyone who could possibly tell her bosses at the Twelfth. The New York City Police Department has a very strict policy against colleagues dating."
"Well, technically you're not a colleague, darling."
"Well, Gates and a few others might not see it that way. So, no gossiping, Mother. And no posting anything on Facebook."
"I could say the same for you. You're the one who has half a million followers on Twitter. Are you going to talk to Alexis?"
"I will in the morning. I don't expect her back until late tonight."
"I'm so happy for you, Richard," Martha hugged him. "I know how badly you've been wanting this."
***CCC***
Kate arrived at the precinct early the next morning to begin working on her D-5's for the Lee Travis case. She looked up when she heard the elevator doors open. "Good morning," Esposito greeted Kate as he placed his jacket over the back of his chair. "Where's Castle?"
"I'm doing paperwork," Kate smirked. "You don't actually expect him to be here doing his share, do you?"
"No, I guess not," he walked over and sat down in Castle's chair. "You're doing better, then?'
"Yeah, I'm fine. Did you talk to Dr. Burke, yet?"
"I have an appointment this afternoon. Is he the one you talked to before you came back after your shooting?"
"Yeah."
"What's he like?"
"He's okay. I mean, as far as police shrinks go. Just talk to him and get it over with. Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Did you think about it? Before you shot him?"
"There wasn't anything to think about. Kate, he was about to shoot you. Taking him out was a no-brainer."
"You might want to rephrase that response when you talk to Burke."
"Why? It's the truth. Don't they tell us to tell the shrink the truth?"
"You should get started on your reports. Gates wants them ASAP."
Esposito got up and walked over to his desk and booted up his computer. Kate returned to work on her own report. She was almost finished when she saw her phone vibrate. She picked it up and glanced at it, smiling at the message. 'Sorry I'm not there to help with the 5's. Really, I'm not, but you already know that. Are we still on for dinner tonight?'
'Yes. I'll text you when I'm leaving the precinct.'
'Okay. I'll see you later.'
***CCC***
Castle was writing in his office when he heard Alexis in the kitchen. He closed his laptop and walked out to the kitchen. "Morning, sweetie."
"Hi, dad. I thought you had gone to the precinct."
"No, Kate and the guys are working on their reports. You know how I hate doing paperwork."
"I know," Alexis laughed.
"I need to talk to you about something."
"Okay. This sounds serious. Am I in trouble?"
"No, no. You're perfect. Kate came by last night. The day that she got shot in the cemetery, I told her that I loved her."
"Gram told me. She said that Kate didn't remember anything."
"She lied."
"She lied? She heard you?"
"Yeah."
"Why didn't she just admit that? Dad, she's been playing games with your head for the past nine months!"
"Alexis, she was scared. When I talked to her after she came back to work, she told me that she couldn't have a relationship with anyone while this thing with her mother remains unsolved."
"I guess that makes sense," Alexis made herself a cup of coffee and walked over to the couch.
"Alexis, last night she told me that she loves me, too."
"What happens now?"
"We're going to do what most couples do. Go to dinner or movies, hang out."
"Have sex?"
"Eventually. But there's one thing, Alexis. You can't tell anybody from the precinct. Kate's career depends on it."
"How is that going to work with the two of you working side by side every day?"
"I don't know. I guess we'll have to be careful. Alexis, I want you to be okay with this."
"I asked you a while back if she made you happy. You told me that she does. I want you to be happy, dad. Both of you deserve to be happy."
"Thank you, sweetie."
"I'm going to go get ready for school."
***CCC***
"What? No Mr. Castle today?" Capt. Gates came out of her office mid-morning and immediately noticed that Castle was nowhere to be seen.
"Yeah. He likes playing cop, but he doesn't like the paperwork part of it," Kate answered.
"Well, it's not like 1PP would accept your 5's if they were filled out by Mr. Castle. Speaking of which, are they almost ready? I have meetings in an hour."
"I'm finishing up right now," Kate got up and walked over to the printer to retrieve her finished report.
"Detective Esposito?"
"I just emailed it to you."
"Good. What time is your appointment with the shrink?"
"Uh, one o'clock."
"Make sure you're not late."
"Yes, sir."
"Carry on."
"Wow, she has no love for Castle," Ryan commented.
"She'll get used to him. We all did," Kate left the room to get some coffee.
"I don't think she wants to get used to him," Ryan told his partner.
"Well, we need him around for comic relief."
"Not to mention the times he lets us borrow his Ferrari and gets us Knicks floor seats."
"Those are nice perks," Espo agreed.
"And don't forget The Old Haunt. Where else in town can we get free drinks?"
***CCC***
Shortly before five, Kate texted Castle to let her know that she was leaving the precinct. She smiled when he texted her an address to meet him. She drove to a small Italian place a couple of blocks from the loft. He gave her a bright smile when she walked through the door. "Hi," he greeted her as she took the seat across from him.
"Hi," she looked up at the waiter who approached the table to take her drink order. "I'll have a glass of red wine. This feels strange."
"What? You and I having dinner together? We've had dinner together a bunch of times."
"Yeah, burgers at Remy's. That was just . . . work friends. Castle, I don't know how to do this."
"What? Have a nice dinner together?"
"You know what I'm talking about. Castle, if this ends badly . . . I don't want to lose what we have. We're friends. I don't want to lose that."
"You're right. We're friends. Which means that we're already past a lot of that awkward stuff that comes from first dates. We've met each other's friends; you've met my daughter and my mother. Surviving meeting my mother is a huge first step in dating me. Martha Rodgers is sort of the acid test."
"Castle, not only have I met your mother, I like your mother. Speaking of which, did you talk to them? Martha and Alexis about us. Or what will soon be us."
"I did speak to them," Castle stopped speaking when the waiter brought Kate her wine.
"Are you ready to order?" The waiter asked.
"Order for me, Castle," Kate smiled.
After Castle ordered for them, he smiled at Kate. "Now, where was I?"
"Your mother and Alexis."
"I spoke to my mother last night. She is thrilled. She has been wanting us to hook up since the beginning."
"Castle, I didn't even like you when we first met."
"Well, I couldn't let my mother know that."
"How did Alexis take the news?"
"Alexis has always been cautious regarding my love life. But she said if we're both happy, then that's good enough for her."
"And they both understand the stakes here? That they can't tell anybody?"
"Yes. Alexis did ask how that's going to work with you and I working together at the precinct every day?"
"The same as it has up till now. Oh, Gates was so happy that you weren't in the precinct today. For a minute, I thought that she was going to treat, me, Espo, and Ryan to ice cream."
"Yeah, I don't know what I can do to make her like me. Do you think she would like a new Ferrari?"
"No bribes, Castle," Kate chuckled. "Give her time. When I first met you, I felt the same way that she does now. Be patient. I'm sure that she'll come around eventually."
Castle looked down and noticed the white gauze peeking from under the sleeve of Kate's shirt. "The other day, at the Grace Tower, you said that it was an accident. Do you mind if I ask what happened?"
"Um, I'm not sure how to explain it. I slipped on some broken glass in my apartment."
"With your arm?"
"Yeah, with my arm. I don't want to talk about it."
"Okay. I'm sorry."
"No, I'm sorry. It's part of the stuff that I'm trying to work through with my therapist. I'm just not ready to talk about it with anyone else."
"Okay. Is it bad?"
"Not bad enough for stitches, but yeah, it was bad."
Castle ordered coffee for them after they finished with dinner. "I have a question," he looked across the table at her.
"Okay."
"I know that we're going to be seeing each other, but what happens at the precinct if someone asks if we're seeing anyone?"
"I don't know. You have the writer's imagination, Castle. We can always just make something up."
"That would work in theory, but what if the boys or Lanie wants to meet this imaginary person?"
"Wow, you've really been thinking way ahead about this, haven't you? I don't know. Maybe we can do what we used to do in high school. Pretend that we're dating someone who lives in Europe."
"Did you really do that?"
"No, I didn't really do that! I never lacked for boyfriends."
"I didn't think so. I mean, have you looked in the mirror and seen you?"
"Castle . . . Rick," she reached across the table for his hand, "stop overthinking everything. You're going to make us dating an unmitigated disaster before we get to the second date. Relax and let's enjoy this. Okay?"
"Okay."
Leaving the restaurant after dinner, Castle walked Kate to her car. "Where did you park?" She asked, looking around and not seeing his Mercedes anywhere.
"I walked. Mother, Alexis, and I walk up here all the time."
"Hop in, I'll give you a ride home."
Castle got into the passenger side and put his seatbelt on as Kate got behind the wheel and started the engine. "I had a nice time tonight."
"So did I," she smiled at him. "Are you coming to the precinct tomorrow?"
"Bright and early."
"Good," she continued smiling. She came to a stop in front of Castle's building. "Thank you for dinner. The restaurant was amazing."
"It's always been a favorite of mine. I'll see you in the morning," he unbuckled his seatbelt and started to get out of the car.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" He looked puzzled. "We're dating. Shouldn't we kiss goodnight?"
"Oh, I think I'm going to enjoy dating you, Beckett," he leaned toward her and gave her a soft kiss goodnight. "Be careful driving home."
"I will. Be careful taking the elevator up," she teased.
"Until tomorrow, detective."
Kate waited until Castle was inside his building before putting the car in gear and slowly driving away.
A/N #5: I will be posting a chapter every Monday.
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